Automatic switching device.



No. 805,059. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. J. A. DE FORD.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1 1905.

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Wow/g; aim M 49,9 7 b WWMW No. 805,059. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

J. A. DB FORD.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1905.

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W L M WM, fil/W WWO??? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JOSEPH A. DE FORD, OF LOGANSPORT. INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARTIN MoHALE, OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

To aZZwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH A. DE Fonn, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Logansport, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Switching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices controlled from within a car for automatically operating a track-switch in advance of the car.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a simple and eflicient switching device adapted to permit the motorman of a car to reverse a switch without leaving his position in the car or sto ping the advance of the car, to provide in a evioe of this class an improved form of switch-frog adapted through engagement with a roller on the car to reverse a switch before the wheels of the car reach the same, and to provide improved c0nstruction whereby such wheel may be moved into or out of position for engagement with said frog at the will of the motorman. I accomplish these objects by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan of a track provided with a switching apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus upon the car which coacts with the parts shown in Fig. 1 for operating the switch, the floor of the car being indicated in section. Fig. 3 is a modified form of mechanism for operating the switching mechanism electrically. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the switch-operating wheel, showing means for permitting the wheel to yield laterally and angularly when in engagement with the switching-frog.

The device shown consists of a track comprising a pair of rails 5, connected with a pair of rails 6 of a branch track. The two pairs of rails connect by means of the usual frogs 7 and 8, the frog 8 being provided with a movable section 9 and each frog having the usual inner guide-rail 10.

Between the rails 5 is a switching member, which consists of a pair of guides 11 and 12, disposed longitudinally of the rails 5, and having a wedge-shaped tongue 13, pivotally mounted on a vertical axis 14 between the two guides. The narrow end 15 of the tongue faces in a direction opposite to that in which the car moves along the track. The tongue 13 is ivoted midway between the guides 11 an 12 and has an arm 16, to which the movable rail-section 9 is connected by means of a link 17. The link 17 is preferably provided with a turnbuckle 18, so as to admit of adjustment of the link to compensate for wear of the tongue and guides.

The car carries a wedging member, preferably in the form of a roller 19 and adapted to enter the space between the tongue 13 and either guide for wedging the tongue toward one side and causing a reversal of the switch. The roller 19 is preferably located a considerable distance in advance of the front wheels 22 of the car. ries the roller 19, is pivotally mounted in a bracket 23 and is adapted to be swung on its pivotal axis for raising or lowering the roller 19 to carry the same into or out of position for engaging the tongue 13. In the form shown in Fig. 2 the upper end of the arm 20 is connected to a hand-lever 24 by means of a link 25. This link is preferably formed of coiled spring-wire, so as to yield to permit the wheel 19 to accommodate itself to irregularities in the roadway. The roller 19 is j ournaled in afork 26, which has swiveled connection with the arm 20; but such swivel movement is limited by means of stops 27 to prevent the wheel from turning crosswise to the direction of movement of the car. The roller 19 is loose on its shaft 28 and is held in a middle position thereon by means of the springs 29.

The swiveled mounting of the roller 19 causes the same to follow the edge of the tongue instead of rising over the same and failing to o erate the switch. In the modi fied form s own in Fig. 3 the hand-lever 24 The arm 20, which carand link are replaced by means of a sliding rod 30, operated by the solenoid 31. The rod 30 is normally urged in one direction by means of the spring 32, so as to hold the roller 19 in its raised position except when the same is forced down through the action of the solenoid 31. The solenoid 31 is controlled by a switch 33, operated by a push-pin 34.

' The operation of thedevice shown is as follows: Assume that the switching devices are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and that the car is approaching the switch in the direction of the arrow 35. If the motorman desires to proceed on the straight course, the switch, as shown, is properly set and he need pay no further attention to it. If he wishes to enter the branch track, he would lower the roller 19 by pulling back the hand-lever 24 or pressing his foot upon the push-rod 34, as the case may be. When the roller 19 is lowered,

it rides upon the surface of the road between the tracks and enters the space between the tongue 13 and the guide 12. The swivel 27 and the springs 29 permit the roller 19 to slide laterally along the edge of the tongue. When the roller 19 passes the pivot 14, it wedges the large end 36 of the tongue away from the guide 12, causing the tongue to assume the position shown by dotted lines, and thereby shifting the movable rail-section 9, so that when the wheels arrive at the frog they will follow the course of the track 6. If the motorman of the next car desires to pass u on the straight course, he would lower his ro ler 19 and cause the rail-section 9 and tongue to return to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that the motor man may control the switch without leaving his position at the controlling mechanism of the car and without stopping the car to operate the switch. The wheel 19 always serves to reverse the switch and is operated in exactly the same manner for shifting the switch in either direction. If the switch does not stand in the proper position for permitting the car to pass in the desired direction, the motorman pulls his lever. If he sees that the switch is properly set, he need, of course, pay no attention to it. It is important that the movable section 9 be shifted accurately, and for this reason the adjustment of the link 17 is provided to compensate for wear on the tongue 13 and its cooperating guides.

It will be seen that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a track-switch, a car adapted to ride on the track, a pair of guides spaced apart and disposed longitudinally of the track between the rails, a tongue pivotally mounted between said guides and adapted to normally lie obliquely across the space between said guides, a member on said car adapted to pass between said tongue and either of said guides, one end of said tongue being adapted when disposed toward one of said guides, to prevent said member from passing on the same side but to cause said member to pass between the tongue and the other guide, s'aid tongue being adapted to reverse its angular position with respect to said guides throu h engagement with said member, and a switc operating mechanism adapted to reverse the switch when said guide is swung on its pivotal axis.

2. The combination of a track-switch having a movable section, a car mounted to ride on the track, a pair of guides disposed longitudinally of the track and spaced apart, a roller on said car movable into and out of po sition for entering the space between said guides, a wedge shaped tongue pivotally mounted on a vertical axis between said guides and adapted to normally lie at an angle with said guides, said tongue having its narrow end disposed in a direction opposite to-the direction of movement of the car and having its large end of suitable width to cause said tongue to reverse its angular position with respect to said guides when the roller on said car passes between the tongue and one of the guides, and means connecting said tongue and movable section whereby the shifting of said tongue will shift said section.

3. The combination of a track-switch having a movable section, a car adapted to ride on the track, a pair of guides disposed longitudinally of the track and spaced apart, a tongue pivotally mounted on a vertical axis between said guides, a roller on said car adapted to be moved into and out of the plane of said guides and tongue, said roller being adapted to yield laterally to follow the path between said tongue and the other guide, said tongue being of suitable form to be shifted on its pivotal axis and reverse its angular position with respect to said guides when said roller passes between said guides, and means connecting said tongue and said movable section for shifting said section through the swinging of said tongue.

4. The combination of a track switch having a movable section, a car adapted to ride on the track, a tongue connected with said movable section, a roller on said car adapted to be moved into and out of position for engaging said tongue when said car is moved along the track, said tongue being adapted to shift when engaged by said roller for shiitin the movable section of the switch, and saii l roller being adapted to yield longitudinally of its axis of rotation and being mounted to have a limited angular movement on an axis transverse to said axis of rotation.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a track-switch, a car adapted to ride on the track, a pair of uides spaced apart and disposed longitudinal y of the track between the rails, a tongue pivotally mounted between said uides and adapted to normally lie diagonally across the space between said guides, and a roller on said car adapted to pass between said tongue and one of said guides, said tongue being wedge-shaped and adapted to reverse its angular position with respect to said guides through engagement with said roller, a switch-operating mechanism adapted to reverse the switch when said tongue is swung on its pivotal axis.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a track-switch, a car adapted to ride on the track, a pair of guides disposed longitudinally of the track between the rails and spaced apart, a tongue pivotally mounted between the rails and spaced apart, a tongue pivotally mounted between said guides and adapted to normally lie diagonally across the space between said guides, and a roller on said car adapted to pass between said tongue and one of said guides, said tongue being wedge-shaped and adapted to reverse its angular position with respect to said guides through enga ernent with said roller, an arm supporting said roller and pivotally mounted on said car, means for swinging said arm to bring said roller into and out of position for engaging said tongue, said roller bein adapted to yield axially on said arm to fo low the angular position of said tongue.

Signed at Logansport this 27th day of April, 1905.

JOSEPH A. DE FORD.

Witnesses CHAS. L. WECHT, GEO. W. WALTERS. 

